Neck shield for protective helmet



July 31,

1962 J. DE GRAZIA NECK SHIELD FOR PROTECTIVE HLMET Filed July 14, 1960INVENTOR I7 Y JO'QpL DQGIagia ATTORNEY United States Patent Oilice Theinvention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used byor for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment tome of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to supplemental armor for pro tective helmets ofthe type which comprise a substantially rigid shell comprising a crownand a brim. Such helmets are well known and many designs of the samehave been used in the past. Militarily, they have the weakness that theycannot provide protection below the brim, partlcularly at the rear ofthe helmet and still permit the wearer free head tilting movement. ofWorld War I vintage had no all around protection below the brim. InWorld War Il the brim was formed with a depending side and rear portionwhich dened an ear and nape protecting portion. However, even thisstructure left exposed areas below the nape and ear protecting brimportions which were necessary if the wearer were to be permitted to lookupwardly.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to providean improved accessory for a helmet which comprises an improved armoredcurtain `depending from the brim thereof to protect those aeras of theface or neck which would otherwise be exposed by the particular helmetbeing worn.

A further object is to provide such an improved accessory which includesa novel connection with the helmet which permits free tilting movementof the head without either dislodgiug the helmet or injuring the wearer.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of theaccessory, the structure of the several elements of the same,combinations and subcombinations of such elements with each other and/orwith a helmet, helmet liner or the head of a wearer, all of which willbe readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon refer-V ence to theattached drawing in connection with the following speciiication whereinthe invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a frontal elevational View of one form of the invention thesame being shown applied to a helmet and helmet liner;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken substantiallyon the plane of the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; y

FIGURE 3 is a View like FIGURE 2 but showing the operation of the devicewhen the wearers head is tilted back;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken sub# stantially ontheplane of the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially on the plane of the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

Referring specically to the drawing, wherein like reference charactersdesignate like parts in all views, lil designates a conventional helmetliner which is nested in a conventional helmet shell 11. Both liner .andshell 11 are of World War Il vintage but could obviously assume othershapes. As will appear liner and helmet may be combined in a singleunit.

A relatively stiff armored curtain 12 is arranged to depend from atleast the back and side portions of the brim Thus, the wearer of ahelmetY of the helmet liner assembly. Forward extensions 13 and 14 ofsaid curtain 12 may overlap each other in downwardly spaced relation tothe visor portion of the helmet brim to provide a face opening.Extensions 13 and 14 are detachably secured together by any suitablevseparable fastening means, not shown. The curtain 12` has a lower edge15 which is contoured and sized to have a close tit on at least theshoulders and back of a wearer to insure complete' protection betweenthose points and the brim of the helmet. The curtain l2 may be formed ofany suitable material such as two or more plies of nylon duckimpregnated with a suitable plastic materialk or any other well knownmaterial. The specific material of which 12 is formed is not consideredto be a part of the invention. As the curtain 12 is substantially stiif,it

is obvious that a rigid connection between the same and the helmet willelfectively prevent any tilting movement of the head of a wearer wherebynot only to insure discomfort in the way of a stili neck but also toimpose sharp limitations on the wearers eld of vision. Therefore, anovel connection has Ibeen provided which permits substantially freetilting ofthe head of .a wearer in any direction without exposing anyarea protected by the curtain 12. l

`In the emobdiment illustrated, this connection is included in a cover16 for the helmet 11 which is complementary thereto and which receivesthe same therein with a close fit. The cover 16 and curtain 12preferably have overlapping lower and upper edges respectively which aresecured together in any suitable manner as by the lines of l stitching`177. Cover 16 is secured to the helmet assembly byone or more flexibletethers 1S and 23 whichtmay have opposite ends connectedy to the coverand central portions which span the interior of the helmet shell 11 andare held therein by the liner 10 or thehead of a p 4wearer in a mannerreadily understood.

In the embodimentillustrated, the exible tether or strap 18 has aforward end 19 which is secured in any V suitable manner as by stitching20 to the cover 16 in the immediate region of the visor portion of thehelmet brim. It has a rear end portion 21 which extends across thebackportion of the helmet brim and upwardly over the shell 11 beneath thecover 16. The tip of said rear end portion 21 is secured, as bystitching 22, to the cover 16 a substantial distance above the backportion of the helmet brim whereby to provide a substantially wideportion of the cover 16 below the connection 22 which is free of thehelmet. Thus, when the wearer tilts his head backwards as in FIGURE 3,the curtain 12 rides up overthe4 helmet without discomfort to the wearerand without exposlng any part covered by the curtain.

In addition'to the tether 18 or in place thereof, there.v

may be provided a second flexible member 23 which extends transversely.Such tether 23 has side end portions 24, which are extended across sideportions of the brim and then upwardly over the helmet beneath the cover16. Such side end portions 24 havetips which are secured or connected tothe cover 16v inwardly thereof substantial distance above the sideportions of the helmet" brim. These connections may comprise stitching25 and they function just as did the previously described connection 22or as a supplement to it when used therewith. Thus, the central portionof tether 23 extends across the interior of the shell 11 and is securedtherein by the liner 10 or the head of a wearer. The side end portionsextend across the side portions of the brim and upwardly over theexterior of shell 11 to the connections 25.

It follows from the foregoing that a wearer may tilt his head in anydirection without discomfort and without there being any tendency forthe rising curtain to lift the helmet assembly off of his head. In thisconnection, when the wearer tilts his head downwardly, there PatentedJuly 3l, 1962V may be some slight closing of the face opening but noother action. Thus, the connection 20 at the visor portion of the brimretains the cover 16 against rearward movement under the weight of thecurtain 12. Of course, when the head is untilted, gravity maintains theparts in their proper positions.

Moreover, while there has been shown and described what is now thoughtto be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understoodthat the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions.Consequently, the invention is not considered to be limited to theprecise structure shown and described above except as hereinafterclaimed.

I claim:

l. The combination with a protective helmet including a brim having afront visor portion, two opposite side portions and a back portion; of aflexible cover complementary to said helmet and receiving the sametherein, a relatively stiff armored curtain secured to said cover anddepending therefrom below at least said side and back portions of saidbrim, flexible anchor means secured Within said helmet, said anchormeans extending across at least said back portion of said brim andupwardly over said helmet beneath said cover, said anchor means having atip secured to said cover a substantial distance above said back portionof said brim whereby to provide a substantially wide cover portion belowsaid connection which is free to move upwardly of said helmet with saidcurtain.

2. The combination with a protective helmet including a brim having afront visor portion, two opposite side portions and a back portion; of ailexible cover complementary to said helmet and receiving the sametherein, a relatively stiff armored curtain secured to said cover anddepending therefrom below at least said side and back portions of saidbrim, flexible anchor means secured within said helmet, there being twoopposed side anchor means and a rear anchor means, said side anchormeans extending across said side portions of said brim and upwardlyalong said helmet beneath said cover, said rear anchor means extendingacross said back portion of said brim and upwardly of said helmetbeneath said cover, and all of said anchor means having tips secured tosaid cover substantial distances above said brim to provide asubstantially wide cover portion below said tips which is free of saidhelmet.

3. The combination with a protective helmet including a brim having afront visor portion, two opposite side prtions and a back portion; of aflexible cover complementary to said helmet and receiving the sametherein, a relatively stit armored curtain secured to said cover anddepending therefrom below at least said side and back portions of saidbrim, anchor means connected to said helmet, said anchor meanscomprising at least one llexible strap having front and rear ends and acentral portion, said central portion being disposed inside said helmetand retained therein by the head of a wearer, said front end beingsecured to said cover in the region of said visor portion of said helmetbrim, said rear end of said strap extending across said back portion ofsaid brim and being then upwardly directed over said helmet beneath saidcover, and said rear end having a tip secured to said cover asubstantial distance above said back portion of said brim to provide asubstantially Wide cover portion below said rear end of said strap whichis free of said helmet.

4. The combination with a protective helmet including a brim having afront visor portion, two opposite side portions and a back portion; of aflexible cover complementary to said helmet and receivingtthe sametherein, a relatively stiff armored curtain secured to said cover anddepending therefrom below at least said side and back portions of saidbrim, anchor means connected to said helmet, said anchor meanscomprising a flexible strap having opposite ends and a central portion,said central portion being disposed inside said helmet and extendingtransversely thereof, said central portion being retained in said helmetby the head of a wearer, said opposite ends of said strap being extendedacross said opposite side portions of said brim and then upwardly alongsaid-helmet beneath said cover, and said opposite ends of said straphaving tips secured to said cover substantial distances .above said sideportions of said brim to provide a substantially wide cover portiontherebelow and rearwardly thereof which is free of said helmet.

5. The combination with a protective helmet including a brim having afront visor portion, two opposite side portions and a back portion; of aflexible cover complementary to said helmet and receiving the sametherein, a relatively stili armored curtain secured to said cover anddepending therefrom below at least said side and back portions of saidbrim, anchor means connected to said helmet, said anchor meanscomprising rst and second crossed llexible tethers, said lirst tetherextending longitu` dinally of said helmet and having front and rearends, said second tether extending transversely of said helmet andhaving opposite ends, said tethers having central portions disposedinside said helmet and secured therein by a helmet liner or the like,said front end of said first tether being secured to said cover in theregion of said visor portion of said helmet brim, said rear end of saidfirst tether being extended across said back portion of said brim andupwardly over said helmet beneath said cover, said rear end having a tipsecured to said cover a substantial distance above said back portion ofsaid brim, and said opposite ends of said second tether being extendedacross said side portions of said brim and upwardly along said helmetbeneath said'cover, said opposite ends having tips secured to said coversubstantial distances above said side portions of said brim, whereby toprovide substantially wide side and rear portions of said cover belowsaid last named three ends of said tethers which are free to moveupwardly of said helmet with said curtain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

